The 4th of July is approaching quickly. So enjoy the great outdoors and the beach but be careful not to sunburn. Sunburn can be mild, moderate, or severe as well as affect the quality of your skin.
The length of time a sunburn lasts depends on its severity.
- Mild sunburnsusually come with redness and some pain, which can last anywhere from three to five days. Your skin may also peel a bit towards the last couple of days as your skin regenerates.
- Moderate sunburnsare typically more painful. The skin will be red, swollen, and hot to the touch. Moderate sunburns typically take about a week to heal completely. The skin may then continue to peel for a few more days.
- Severe sunburnssometimes require a visit to a doctor or even a hospital. You’ll have painful blistering and very red skin. It can take up to two weeks to fully recover. If you don’t end up in the hospital, you’ll likely have to stay home and rest to recover from a severe burn.
Here are some factors that may affect the duration of your sunburn, these factors make people more susceptible to severe sunburns that generally take longer to heal.
- If you have fair or light skin
- Freckles or red or fair colored hair
- Going outside when the rays are most intense between 10 am and 3 pm
- Being in the sun in high attitudes
- Visiting or living near the Equator
- A tanning bed can affect the duration of the sunburn and the severity
- Taking certain drugs that make you more susceptible to burns.
In most cases the pain from a sunburn will starts within 6 hours of the burn and peak around 24 hours. The pain normally subsides after 48 hours. If you have a severe sunburn swelling may persist for up to 2 days or longer depending on the severity. If you have blistering from a moderate to severe burn it will usually show up between 6 to 24 hours after UV exposure, however in some cases it could take up to a couple of days to show up. Peeling normally starts after 3 days and can last for several days. Peeling, in general, will stop once the skin is fully healed.
We at On Call Medical Clinic hope you and your families have a wonderful 4th of July. Be safe and take the needed precautions to avoid sunburn. Experts will tell you that applying sunscreen just once is not enough. You should reapply every one and a half hour to two hours. Be sure and use broad spectrum sunscreen for UVA and UVB protection. If you need help with your sunburn or any other minor injuries or sickness, please remember we are here 7 days a week. Please visit our website at www.oncallclinic.com to learn about our the medical and skin services we offer.